New York, Jan 28, 2026, 21:18 EST — Market closed
- Shares of Abbott fell 2.1%, ending Wednesday at $106.05.
- CEO Robert Ford revealed he bought about 18,800 shares, spending close to $2 million through a family trust.
- Traders are eyeing potential broker target cuts alongside new device updates as major medical conferences get underway.
Abbott Laboratories shares slipped 2.1%, closing at $106.05 Wednesday, despite CEO Robert Ford purchasing roughly $2 million worth of stock via a family trust. The Form 4 filing — a required SEC disclosure for insider trades — reveals Ford acquired 18,800 shares on Jan. 23 at a weighted average price of $107.1259. On that day, the stock fluctuated between $105.28 and $108.58, with about 15.1 million shares changing hands. 1
Abbott’s buy comes at a tricky time. The stock is struggling to regain ground after a steep pullback in outlook, with investors eager to offload on any uptick.
With U.S. markets closed overnight, the key question is if Thursday’s session will see bargain hunters jump in on insider buying or if it will be overshadowed by fresh analyst adjustments and cautious moves.
Abbott has dropped roughly 12% in the past five sessions. MT Newswires reported that Argus lowered its price target from $150 to $140. 2
Abbott’s latest quarterly report disappointed. The company projected adjusted earnings between $1.12 and $1.18 per share for the current quarter, falling short of Wall Street’s revenue estimates as nutrition and diagnostics segments struggled. CEO Robert Ford pointed to “about a billion dollars of headwind” in diagnostics and cautioned that “we’ll have a couple quarters where growth in nutrition is going to be challenged,” with expectations for a rebound later this year. 3
Still, the insider purchase doesn’t eliminate the immediate risks that triggered the selloff. Another weak update on nutrition pricing or volumes, or a slower recovery in diagnostics demand, could continue to weigh on the stock.
Abbott’s product mix plays a key role. It markets consumer-focused nutrition products alongside higher-margin devices, causing the stock to shift between trading as a defensive healthcare play and a consumer goods story from one day to the next.
Investors are eyeing any new filings or comments that shed light on how fast Abbott can steady its nutrition segment, and if device growth will continue to counterbalance softer areas. They’ll also track how sharply analysts cut targets following the earnings update.
The upcoming event to watch is the Society of Thoracic Surgeons meeting, kicking off Jan. 29 in New Orleans and wrapping up Feb. 2. It’s a crucial platform for heart-device companies, where fresh product news and clinical data often shift market sentiment heading into next week. 4
